It stresses that “the use of firearms by security forces during protests sets a negative precedent”
The court of great instance of Dakar opens legal proceedings against 410 demonstrators arrested during the protests
13 (EUROPA PRESS)
The United Nations expressed its “deep concern” on Tuesday over the situation in Senegal, where more than 15 people have died and nearly 350 have been injured in the framework of a series of protests over the two-year prison sentence against the leader. opponent, Ousmane Sonko, mobilizations that have also resulted in some 500 detainees, at the same time that he has called for “independent and exhaustive” investigations into the incidents.
Seif Magango, spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, stressed that “the use of firearms by security forces during protests sets a negative precedent in Senegal”, before calling for open investigations for Dakar are “quick, independent and exhaustive”.
Thus, it has claimed to the Senegalese authorities that “all those responsible for an unnecessary and disproportionate use of force are held accountable, regardless of their status and political affiliation.” “We offer the assistance of our office in this regard”, he pointed out during a press conference in the Swiss city of Geneva.
“We are also concerned about the continued restrictions on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in the wake of the protests,” he said, before recalling that a television channel that was covering the demonstrations live was suspended on June 1 “without a clear legal justification.
Magango has reported that the chain continues to be suspended, something that will continue like this for 30 days, according to the Government, which has also ordered the suspension of a fundraising campaign to obtain funds to keep the chain operational while the measure continues.
“The authorities have also denied permission to two other protests since June 3, including those planned for last Friday and Saturday,” said Magango, who also stressed that Internet services have been “limited” between June 1 and 6 with the stated objective of preventing the dissemination of “subversive and hateful messages.”
In this sense, it has argued that “Internet restrictions must be based on an unambiguous and public law, they must be necessary to achieve a legitimate objective, as defined by Humanitarian Law, they must be proportionate with respect to that legitimate objective and not be discriminatory”.
For this reason, it has emphasized that “it is the responsibility of the Senegalese authorities to preserve the long-standing respect for democratic traditions and the rule of law through guarantees of the rights to freedom of assembly and expression, as well as information, allowing journalists to exercise their profession freely and safely, especially in the run-up to the 2024 presidential elections”.
“We reaffirm the willingness of our office to continue working with the Senegalese government, civil society and other partners to strengthen the protection of Human Rights in the country,” Magango has settled.
The words of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights come days after the party African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity (PASTEF), headed by Sonko, denounced more than 20 deaths due to the repression of the protests and demanded that the authorities release “more than 700 political prisoners”.
OPENING OF A JUDICIAL PROCESS
Dakar prosecutor Abdou Karim Diop has reported in a statement that the high court in the Senegalese capital has opened legal proceedings against 410 people who were arrested during the violent protests in June.
Specifically, they are accused of criminal association, participation in an insurrectionary movement, violent acts that damage people or their property, as well as maneuvers likely to compromise public safety. All charges are under articles 80, 97, 98, 255 and 431.1 of the Senegalese Penal Code.
“These proceedings are intended to determine the responsibility of all the people who instigated these violent concentrations. Consequently, a legal proceeding has been opened,” reads the statement, dated this Tuesday and collected by the newspaper ‘Sud Quotidien’.
The President of Senegal, Macky Sall, ordered on Wednesday the opening of “immediate and systematic” investigations in the framework of the demonstrations that took place after the conviction against the opposition leader, a decision adopted “in view of the disproportionate gravity of the events,” according to a statement published by the Council of Ministers after a meeting to address the situation.
The case against Sonko for alleged rape was opened in March 2021, when the arrest of the opponent led to protests by his followers that resulted in 15 deaths and significant material damage. Demonstrations in mid-May by supporters who gathered at his home to prevent his arrest resulted in three more deaths, including an officer run over in an accident by a police vehicle.
The opposition has denounced on several occasions that Sall plans to run for a third term. The Senegalese Constitution limits the total number of terms to two and an attempt to extend his stay in power could lead to instability, although the president has defended that it would be legal for him to run for office, a point that he has not yet confirmed. .
